Fish-plate joint



(No Model.)

W. SHO-RTLO. Fish Plate Jo-int.

Patented Jan. ll, I881.

" WITNESSES:

INVENTOR:

( I'ORNBYS N PETERS, PHOTO UTHQGR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SHORTLO, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

FISH-PLATE JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,637, dated J'anuary11, 1881.

Application filed November 10, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM SHoRTLo, ofSpringfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and Improved Fish-Plate, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to that class of devices that are designed forsecuring thejoints of railroad-rails.

The invention consists of the combination of an inner plate havingscrew-threaded boltholes, an outer plate havin ginner andouterlongitudinal keyways, bolts having their shanks flattened on oneside, and keys to fit in the keyways and bear against the shanks andheads of the bolts to prevent them from turnlug.

Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing the fish-plate applied to arail-joint. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same online .00 m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Arepresents a rail, through the web of which arebolt-holes a, of greater diameter than the fish-plate bolts, to permitof the contraction and expansion of the said rail A without injury tosaid bolts.

B is the inner plate, provided with screwthreaded bolt-holes b.

O is the outer plate, provided with smooth bolt-holes c, and with arectangular keyway, cl, that extends the whole length of the said plate0, intersecting the lower sides of the boltholes 0 on the inner face ofthe plate and forming a seat for the rectangular key D.

0n the outer face of the plate 0, extending along its lower edge, isformed a rib, f, whose upper face is sloped or beveled inward, as shownat g, forming a groove for the reception of the corresponding beveledkey E.

F represents a screw-bolt having a square head, It, and having one sideof its shank cut away or flattened, as shown at m, for the key D to bearagainst, for the purpose of preventin g said bolts F from turning.

The plates B 0 being applied to the rails A, as shown, the bolts F arescrewed in place, drawingthe plates B G tightly upon the rails A, withtheir flattened shank-faces mdownward. The key D, which is preferably ofsteel, is then driven into the keyway (I, so that its upper face shallbear against the said flattened faces m of the bolts F to prevent theirturning.

(N0 model.)

The key E is then driven from one end into the groove g beneath, and incontact with the heads h of the bolts F, for further security againsttheir turning.

The heads of the keys D E may be enlarged and fitted in sockets in theend of the plate 0, and their opposite ends may be split or bent, asindicated at n, to prevent them by any chance from becoming loosened.

If desirable, the plate 0 may be made some what thicker at the centerthan at the ends, to insure sufficient strength.

It will be seen that with this device no nuts are required for holdingthe bolts, and consequently a considerable item of expense is saved,besides the trouble caused by the constant loosening and falling of thenuts.

The device is easily applied and removed, and is simple, cheap, andeffective.

Having'thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patcut-- 1. An improved fish-platejoint, constructedsubstantially as herein shown and described, consisting of plate B,provided with screwthreaded bolt-holes b, plate (J, provided with innerand outer keyways, d g, respectively, flat-shanked bolts F, and keys DE, arranged and combined as set forth.

2. In a fish-plate joint, the combination, with the bolts F and plate 0,provided with inner keyway, d, and outer keyway, g, of the keys D E,substantially as herein shown and described, said keys extendinglongitudinally along the said plates, to prevent the fish-plate boltsfrom turning, as set forth.

3. In a fish-plate joint, the combination, with the plate 0, providedwith keyway d, and fiat-shanked bolts F, of the key D, substantially asherein shown and described, whereby the bolts are prevented fromturning, as set forth.

4. In a fish-plate, the combination, with the bolts F and plate 0,provided with beveled ribfon its face, of the beveled key E,substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the bolts F areprevented from turning, as set forth.

his WILLIAM SHORTLO. mark. NVitnesses:

H. A. STEVENS, JAMES A. KENNEDY.

